What sexual orientations are there today?
“Which sexual orientations exist nowadays?” is written for BDSMforyou.nl by Mistress Moriah.
A few years ago, it all seemed quite simple. You were straight, gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Oh wait, and let’s not forget asexual. Nowadays, however, I see terms passing by that I have never heard of before. And honestly, I get the feeling that more and more sexual orientations are being added every day. Time to list them clearly, because to be honest, I can hardly see the forest for the trees anymore.
What exactly does sexual orientation mean?
That is, of course, an important question to answer first before we dive into the list. Sexual orientation is about who you feel sexually attracted to. In other words, who (or what) you would like to have sex or a relationship with.
There can be a difference between sexual attraction (sex) and romantic attraction (relational). Both can exist separately. Also an important note: it’s nearly impossible to remember everything, and that’s perfectly fine. Don’t feel ashamed if you don’t know exactly what androgynosexual or abrosexual means. You can always ask someone what they mean by it. Even the meanings of different terms can vary. So never hesitate to ask that one question: “What exactly do you mean by that?”
Which sexual orientations are there?
There are many more sexual orientations than listed below, but unfortunately, I couldn’t find clear definitions for all of them. Simply listing terms without meaning didn’t seem very useful. That’s why I’ve limited myself to the list below. Do you know another one (with meaning)? Feel free to email it to mrsmoriah@bdsmforyou.nl.
A-E
| Abrosexual | Experiencing different levels of sexual or romantic attraction throughout your life. |
| Aceflux | Someone who fluctuates on the asexual spectrum. |
| Akoisexual | Also known as lithosexual. Sexual attraction to others without the desire for it to be reciprocated (preferably not). |
| Allosexual | Someone who experiences or has experienced sexual attraction (opposite of asexual). |
| Ambisexual | Another term for bisexual. |
| Androgynosexual | Sexual, romantic, and/or emotional attraction to people with both masculine and feminine traits. |
| Androsexual | Feeling physically/romantically attracted to those with more masculine traits (not necessarily biologically male). |
| Apothisexual | Aversion to sex. |
| Asexual | You have no sexual desires toward any form of sex. |
| Autosexual | Having a sexual preference for your own body over that of a partner. |
| Bicurious | You want to explore bisexuality or are open to it. |
| Bisexual | You feel physically/romantically attracted to both sexes. |
| Demisexual | Sexual attraction only to people with whom a romantic/emotional bond has already been formed. |
F-N
| Finsexual | You feel physically/romantically attracted to those with more feminine traits (not necessarily biologically female). See also gynosexual. |
| Fluid | A changing sexual identity; preferences are not fixed. |
| Fraysexual | Someone who initially feels sexual/romantic attraction, but this fades once an emotional bond develops. |
| Graysexual | Limited sexual attraction (a gray area within the sexuality spectrum). |
| Gynosexual | You feel physically/romantically attracted to those with more feminine traits (not necessarily biologically female). See also finsexual. |
| Heterosexual | You feel physically/romantically attracted to members of the opposite sex. |
| Homosexual | You feel physically/romantically attracted to members of the same sex. |
| Lesbian | You feel physically/romantically attracted to members of the same sex (woman/woman). |
| Lithosexual | Also known as akoisexual. Sexual attraction to others without wanting it to be reciprocated (preferably not). |
| Metrosexual | A man interested in personal grooming, fashion, and trends. |
O-Z
| Omnisexual | Attraction to others regardless of biological sex, while still being aware of the gender someone identifies with (similar to pansexual, but with a nuance). |
| Pansexual | Attraction to others regardless of biological sex. Gender identity or expression does not matter. |
| Penultisexual | Showing pride in your second-to-last sexual identity. |
| Platonic | A loving relationship without physical intimacy or desire. |
| Polysexual | A person who feels attracted to multiple forms of sexuality. |
| Queer | People who do not want to be placed into a single category regarding gender and sexuality. |
| Sapiosexual | Attraction to someone’s intellect. |
| Skoliosexual | Attraction to people who are not cisgender (CIS = same gender as assigned at birth). |
| Spectrasexual | Attraction to a wide range of genders and gender identities. |
What is a cishet?
A “cishet” is a combination of the terms “cisgender” and “heterosexual.” It is used to describe people whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth (cisgender) and who are exclusively sexually and romantically attracted to people of the opposite sex (heterosexual). So, you have a cishet man and a cishet woman.
Fun facts
The term lesbian is derived from the name of the Greek island Lesbos, where the poet Sappho lived, who wrote about love between women. That’s why it is sometimes referred to as Sapphic love.
More information
Orgasm, Sexuality & Masturbation – Theme page
Source
Text: Mistress Moriah
Image: 123rf.com
